SOPHIE SHELTON
Salem Academy and College opened their Athletic Hall of Fame with a banquet on Saturday, February 9th. The event hosted inductees, their families and friends, as well as other Salem Academy and College community members. For those unable to purchase tickets or attend the event, the ceremony was also live-streamed and is available for viewing on the “Salem College Sports” YouTube Channel.
Displayed in the hall of fame are photographs capturing moments of great athletic ability ranging from the 1800s to modern-day. The incorporation of both dated and modern photographs symbolizes the connection and siblinghood that Salem strives to achieve in its students and in its athletes.
Four Salem Academy and College student athlete alumnae and two administrators were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The guest speaker present at the banquet was University of Florida’s head soccer coach Becky Burleigh.
Salem Academy and College alumnae inducted into the hall include Olympic swimmer Jane Barkman Brown, Salem College class of 1974; golf coach Dianne Dailey, Salem College class of 1971; student athlete in tennis and basketball Sarah “Sally” Colhoun Engram, Salem Academy class of 1975; and student athlete in field hockey and soccer Laura Side Watson, Salem Academy class of 1994 and Salem College class of 1999.
Other inductees include Chuck Blixt, whose daughters attended Salem Academy and who served as the Chair of Salem Academy and College’s Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2014. The final inductee, Robert E. Esleek, is a former professor of the business faculty at Salem College who advocated for Salem College’s induction into the Nation Collegiate Athletic Association as a Division III school.
The Salem Academy and College Athletic Hall of Fame is located in the Athletics Complex hallway. As Salem Academy and College continues to strive for athletic excellence, the Hall of Fame will serve as a source of inspiration for student athletes and the rest of the Salem Academy and College community.
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